Substitute for metallic foil and process of producing the same



Ratented 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cm mum vou noEssLn, or nnnEBEUn-nnnsnmw, GERMANY, AssIeNon- 'ro cnnmrscnn FABRLK VON nnynnn, acrmnenssnnscmrr, or aAnEBEuL-nnrs- DEN, 6123mm.

SUBSTITUTE FOR METALLIC FO'IL AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING THE No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:'

Be it known that I, CARL HERMANN voN HonssLE, citizen of the German Republic, residing at Radebeul-Dresden, Saxony,

8 Germany, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Substitute for Metallic Foil and Process of Producing the Same (for which I filed applications in Germany, March 5, 1914; March 7, 1914; March 24,

10 1919; March 10, 1920), of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a substitute for metallic foil, more especially for use in the cigarette industry, which substitute comprises a mixture of a metallic powder and a cellulose ester formed into extremely thin bands or films of any desired length and width and having the characteristics of a metallic foil.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a process whereby a solution of a cellulose ester mixed with a metallic powder may be spread over a smooth rotating support in a thin and uniform layer and the dried film carried away and intimately associated with the thinnest silk paper.

The following is an example of the manner in which the invention may be carried out: A mixture of, say, one part acetyi-cellulose with 5-15 parts bronze-powder and acetone is spread in an extremely regular manner in a thin'layer on, a very smooth, .polished steel roller, slightly heated from the inside which rotates slowly, the spreading being effected by means of suitable feedrollers or by means of a spraying device. The mixture dries on the roller in an extremely thin, coherent film having a thick- .ness much under. 0.05 mmmif the mass is 40 sufliciently thinly laid on. The film is detached very easily from the roller and can be removed and wound up by means of a Winding up device; the speed and force with which the film is drawn 01f should be adjusted in the most uniform manner. A roll, thus obtained from a thincellulose ester and metallic bronze can be cut in any required lengths. For the purposes of the cigarette Application filed April 23, 1921. Serial No. 464,063.

1 -industry, they are cut obliquely relatively to the axis fi a larger number, of narrow rolls, so-called obines, corresponding to the size of the gold mouthpiece of the cigarette. The thin, narrow gold'band is then taken to the manufacture of cigarettes in the cigarette machine; The cigarette mouthpieces that have been gilded in this manner have the advantage that the fineness of the gold layer of superior covering power is so great that it is not felt as a forei n substance by the lips of the smoker. The ronze articles are so completely surrounded by t e cellulosic ester that they are exposed in a much smaller measure to the oxidation by the atmosphere than is the case with the mouthpieces covered with a. deposit of beaten metallic foil. The deposited bands according to the present invention have another advantage on the former, that is they can be worked in a much easier manner and thanks to their strength they never or almost never tier when introduced in the cigarette mac me.

It willbe seen from the above example,

that the gold bands have .suflicient strength for being Worked in the machines for making cigarettes. It is however, possible to obtain a further strengthening by associating the gold bands with silk paper. A strong, uniform bronze silk paper is'thereby obtained having the proportion of the thinnest gold silk papers.

This union may be effected in the simplest and most suitable manner by moistening or damping the silk-paper with an agent which is capable of causing a swelling of the cellulose esters When such moistened tissue-paper is brought into contact with the bronze foil, an intimate union of both takes place, so that after drying the tissue-paper is found to'be covered with a firmly adhering uniform coating of bronze. The following may serve as an example how this method of uniting the two materials may be carried out: The silk-paper together with the su erimposed bronze film is passed over a 1'0 er which. lightly moistens the paper wlth a mixture of benzol and acetone. This solvent for the cellulose ester permeates the paper and causes the bronze film to swell. The damp tissue-paper with the bronze film upon it is then conducted over a lightly heated roller. The finished bronze tissuepaper leaves the heated roller as a completely dry; firnhly consolidated compound, which has the properties of the thinnest gold metal tissueaper. Care must be taken that only so muc of the agent employed is applied to the silk-paper and the consolidat on of the two layers is so quickly carried through, that no decomposition but only a swelling of the bronze coating takes place. instead of the mixture of acetone and benzol or other swelling agents for cellulose-ester solvents of cellulose ester may be employed. Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inventlon and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1 claim is -1. A substitute for metallic foil for use in the cigarette industry, comprising a thin film in the form of rolls or bands. of any desired length, composed of a mixture of cellulose ester and a metallic powder.

2. A substitute for metallic foil for use in the cigarette industry, comprising a thin film composed of a mixture of cellulose ester and a metallic powder, united with a silk paper thereby to form a roll.

3. The rocess of manufacturing thin bands having the characteristics of metallic foil, which consists in spreading a mixture of a solution of a cellulose ester and a metallic powder over a smooth rotating support in a thin and uniform layer, and detaching the dried film with a regular motion from the rotating support.

4. The process of manufacturing thin bands having the characteristics of metallic foil, which consists in spreading a mixture of a solution of a cellulose ester and a metallic powder over a smooth rotating support slightly heated from within thereby to form a thin and uniform layer, and detaching the dried layer with a regular motion from the rotating support.

5. The process of manufacturing) thin bands having the characteristics of metallic foil, which consists in spreading a mixture of a solution of a cellulose ester and a metallic powder over a smooth rotating support 1n a thin and uniform layer, detaching the dried film with a regular motion from the rotating support, and associating said film with silk paper by moistening the paper with an agent capable of swelling the cellulose ester, and leading the moistened paper and foil over a sli htly heated roller and detaching the dried film of metallic silk paper from the roller.

6. A thin band for gilding cigarette .bands for gilding cigarette mouthpieces,

mouthpieces consisting of an extremal thin" coherent film of a thickness of muc less than 0.05 mm. composed of a mixture of cellulosic ester and a metallic powder.

7. A thin band for gilding ci arette mouthpieces consisting of an extreme y thin coherent film of a thickness of much less than 0.05 mm. composed of a mixture of acetylcellulose and a metallic powder.

8 A substitute for metallic foil for use in the cigarette industry, comprising a thin film composed of a mixture of acetylcellulose and a metallic powder, united'with a silk paper thereby to form a roll;

9. The process of manufacturing thin which consists in spreading a mixture of a solution of a cellulose ester and a metallic powder in an extremely regular manner over a smooth rotating support in an extremely thin and uniform layer of a thickness of much less than 0.05 mm. and detaching the dried film with a/i'egular motion from the rotating support.

10. The process of manufacturing thin bands for gilding cigarette mouthpieces, which consists in spreading a mixture of a solution of acetylcellulose and a metallic powder in. an extremely regular manner over a smooth rotating support in an extremely thin and uniform layer ofa thickness of much less than 0.05 mm. and detaching the dried film with a regular motion from the rotatingsupport.

11. The process of manufacturing thin bands for gilding cigarette mouthpieces, which consists in spreading a mixture of a solution of a cellulose ester and metallic powder in an extremely regular manner over a smooth rotating support slightly heated from within thereb .to form an extremely thin and uniform ayer of a thickness of much less than 0.05 mm. and detaching the dried film with a regular motion from the rotating support.

' 12. The process of manufacturing thin bands for gilding cigarette 'mouthpieces, which consists in spreading a mixture of a solution of acetylcellulose and metallic powder in an extremely regular manner over a smooth rotating support slightly heated from within thereb to form an extremely thin and uniform layer of a. thickness of much less than" .0.05 mm. and detaching th dried film with a regular motion from the rotating sup ort.

13. The process of manufacturing thin bands having the characteristics of metallic foil, which consists in spreading a mixture of a solution of acetylcellulose and a metallic powder over a smooth rotating support in a thin and uniform layer, detaching the dried film with a re lar motion from the rotating support, an associating said film with silk paper by moistening the paper name to this specification in the presence at with anagent capable of swelling the acetyltwo subscribing witnesses. cellulose, and leadin the moistened paper and foil over-asli 71 heated roller and. 4 5 detaching the.- dried fi m of metallic silk Witnesses:

pa er from the roller. CURT PHILIPP,

n testimony whereof I have signed my WALTERBIMNsI-m.

Dr. CARI. HERMANN von HOESSLE. 

